PICTURES FROM PRIMORYE ARTISTS

Artists in Vladivostok have always been popular, almost on a par with the sailors. And today the fine arts are one of the most striking phenomenons in the city’s cultural life.

Its sources are hidden in history, in geography, in Vladivostok’s border: the crossroads of continents and oceans, East and West. The open ocean horizon and winds of freedom began in the sixties for artist Viktor Fedorov, or for the artists from the Shikotansky Group, who worked on the Kuril Islands: the milieu that nurtured their distinctive art.

Unique cultural phenomena arise from the meeting of nature and nations, with their own energy and mythology: this is exactly what happened in this oceanic region.

Gennady Kungurov "Poppies of Russian Island"

Primorye artists, in their search for innovation, retain the rich quality of the Russian academic tradition: a credit to the art school and the Academy of Arts, which for half a century has been supported by professionals in Vladivostok. The exhibitions of new art galleries have promoted modern Far East art.

Today Primorye artists differ in their artistic originality, creative freedom, and their wide range of genres and styles. This is largely achieved by their fruitful interactions not only with classical European traditions but also with the cultures of Far Eastern countries. In this sense, the art of Primorye is a unique phenomenon: it is not just Russian art in the Far East, but Russan Far Eastern art.

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Painters, graphic artists and photographers create a distinctive image of Vladivostok and Primorye with their art, which is mesmerizing. The cityscapes of Sergei Cherkasov, Vladimir Starovoitov, Yevgeny and Oksana Osipova; amazing landscapes of the seashore and islands by Viktor Ubiraev, Ilya Butusov, and Vitaly Medvedev; and the splendid works of Lydia Kozmina, Valeria Shapranova, Fyodor Morozov John Kudryavtsev ... No, it is impossible to make a short list of all the wonderful artists of Primorye.

Vladimir Starovoytov "Krasnaya Ryba" (Red Fish)

But their works can always be seen in galleries, exhibition halls and art salons, which are located in the center of Vladivostok.